Company

Name: Nina Yoshida-Webster

Company Position: Company Artist

Joined Ballet RI:  Joined Ballet RI in 2021 as a Company Artist.

Hometown: Madison, NJ

Training/Education: Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet, B.A. in Dance Performance, St. Mary’s College of California’s LEAP (Liberal Education for Arts Professionals) program.

Favorite Quote: “The dance goes on forever. So shall I. So shall we.” ~ Gelsey Kirkland

Favorite Role or Ballet & Why: 

It’s so hard to pick just one since they are all so different! I loved the acting and technical challenges in performing Aurora in Sleeping Beauty. The challenges this role presented forced me to grow into Aurora’s character in the process. I also got to work on footwork and musical playfulness when I performed the Jumping Girl in George Balanchine’s Who Cares? Last but not least, my hands-down favorite acting role, which had some pretty challenging dancing in it too, was the younger stepsister in Cinderella. It was my first experience playing with comedy on stage. Getting to hear the audience’s laughter and reactions in real time was one of the most rewarding performance experiences I’ve had!

Accomplishment you are most proud of: 

Choreographing my first piece last February for Ballet RI’s Made on Hope!

Fun Fact about yourself: 

My husband and I have walked every single block of Manhattan together and have a map to prove it. I also love to garden and take on more crafting projects than I can keep up with, including knitting and sewing my own clothes, needlepointing, drawing, painting, and most recently, weaving Nantucket Baskets!

Follow Nina on Instagram @ninaballerina98

Name:   Heather Nichols 

Company Position:   Company Artist   

Joined Ballet RI:   Joined Ballet RI in 2022 as a company member 

Hometown: Richmond, VA 

Training/Education: West End Academy of Dance, School of Richmond Ballet, Richmond Ballet Trainee, B.S in Dance Pedagogy from Butler University     

Favorite Quote: “Music melts all the separate parts of our bodies together” Anaïs Nin 

Favorite Role or Ballet & Why:   

I was absolutely thrilled to explore and perform ‘Stairway to Paradise’ and ‘The Who Care’s Pas De Deux’ in George Balanchine’s “Who Cares”. This role tested me mentally, my perseverance, technicality, maturity, stylistically, and my stamina in so many ways. It allowed me to explore dynamic, expansive dancing to my end range, while being extremely specific and clear with the musicality. It was challenging and fun! 

Accomplishment you are most proud of:  Since I began dancing with professional companies in 2009, I have had four ankle surgeries. I am most proud of my perseverance in returning to the studio and the stage each time, stronger, more vibrant, and with a renewed understanding, not only for my love of dance, but also the incredible things that my body can overcome. Injury though my career has taught me a lot, and persevering through them both physically and mentally has been something that I am proud of inside and outside of the dance realm.  

Fun Fact about yourself:   

As As an emerging choreographer, I have created works including “Meraki” for Kansas City Ballet (2022), “Eau D’Effervescence” (2023) and “Genesis” (2024) for BalletRI, and “Versipellis” (2024) for Moving Arts Co. My work “Meraki” was restaged for Pointe Works’ inaugural season in San Diego, CA in the summer of 2024, and was performed again in New York, NY in March of 2025. This past summer I was commissioned to create two new works by Pointe Works —“nexaulne”— and Provincetown Dance Festival—“Pourquoi Pas?”!

  

Follow Heather on Instagram @heathercnichols AND @h.nichols.choreography 

 

Name:  Emma Guertin
Company Position:  Company Dancer
Joined Ballet RI:  2022
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Training/Education: Oakville school of ballet, Orlando Ballet, Atlanta Ballet
Favorite Quote: “You didn’t come this far, just to come this far”  

Favorite Role or Ballet & Why: “ When Love” by Helen picket because I discovered a new confidence in my dancing I hadn’t felt before.
Accomplishment you are most proud of:   Got over my fear of choreographing/improv & choreographed my first piece for Up Close on Hope last season.
Fun Fact about yourself:  I speak French Canadien, ride horses, play golf, model, sing, take heel classes!

Follow Emma on Instagram @Emmaguertin